Game and apparatus therefor



Septw 1, 1925.

' W. N. JAY

GAME AND APPARATUS THEREFOR Filed April 4, 1923 L! ATTYS.

YENTOR l da( Patented Sept. 1, 1925. f

UNITED STATES PATENToFFICE.

WILLIAM N. JAY, 0F CLEVELAND, I-IIO.

GAME AD AIEARA'IUS THEREFOR.

Application med April 4, 1923. Serial No. 629,773.

To 'all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM N. Jana citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented a. certain new tance,.such for example, as the game o-fr quoits or horseshoes.

An objection to the game of horseshoes is that when only two players are engaged in the game, each is compelled to traverse the length of the court after each pitching operation. Moreover in such games, the skill of the player is oEset` by the character of the ground on which the game is played, in

that the pitching pieces are frequently deflected from the stake even though the aim of the player is accurate.

Oneof the objects of my invention therefore, is the provision of a game wherein the skill of a player in striking the stake is rewarded and wherein the objectionable features of having each player traverse the length of the court during play is obviated.

I carry out the above objects by providing a pair of spaced object pieces which are free to move when struck by the pitching piece and which are so spaced that the pitching piece cannot pass between them in one position without striking the object pieces, but canv pass between them in another position without striking them. Two of such object pieces are positioned at each end of the court so that each player sets up the object pieces for the other player who remains at the opposite end of the court.

The means for carrying out the objects of my invention will be hereinafter fully described in connection with the accompanying drawings and the essential features Vwill.

be summarized in the claims.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 represents diagrammatically a court having object pieces arranged according to my invention -and ositioned at each end of the court; Fig. 2 1s an elevation of the object pieces in the position for'pla-y and showing the relation of the objectpieces tothe pitching piece;

Figs. 3 land 4L are plan andr side elevations respectively ofthe pitching piece.

In the drawings, 9Vv indicates-a1 court a `opposite ends'of which the'object pieces used in my invention are placed."l As shown, the object pieces arev represented Tat vIl() and 11V and Ycomprise self-sustaining upright members which'are spacedf a predetermined distance apart. T he apparatus illustrated is intended for outdoor vuse wherein' metallic pitching' pieces l2 are employed, and accordingly each object piece mayjc'omprise a wooden block having metallic facings 13 and v 14 on opposite sides thereof respectively.

To position the object pieces at uniform distances apart and at the same time to provide an even bearing for maintaining them in upright position, I have shown a templet 15 which is adaptedto rest upon the ground and to have openings therein through which ground-engaging members 16 and 17 may extend. These members as shown are provided with heads -18 and 19 respectively, above the templet, upon which the object pieces are placed.

The pitching piece12 isr shown as a metallic disc having a notch 20 which provides a finger grip for the player. The diameter of this disc then determines the distance between the object pieces. As shown in Fig. 2,

the diameter of the disc is such that the disc when in substantially horizontal position cannot be passed between the object pieces without striking them, but while in vertical position can readily pass through the opening between the discs without striking them.

One player at one end of the court is provided with two or more" pitching pieces. As

7ok Y `the object pieces at each end of the court are struck and displaced from the original position, the player at that end of the court replaces the object pieces until all of the pitching pieces havevbeen thrown. There'- upon the second player throws the same pitching pieces toward the opposite'endl of the court while the-first playerin turnsets up the yobject pieces.V i Y I While I have described'my invention as embodying metallic pitching piecesA and metallically faced object pieces, it is obvious that both the pitching and object pieces may be made of rubber and be adapted for indoor use. Again, the object pieces may be hinged upon a pedestal so as to be :movable relatively t'the support for playingpu'rposesgf but prevented from moving in divers directions when struck by a itching piece.

Having thus described my inventio'n,1 claim zl. In a game, a pitchinglpiie'e; a"'pai'r'of"` independently movable object pieces,V .anda-- ground-engaging member adapted to V'support the Vv"obj ect zpieeesg `lsaidmember having suehlengthrchatgwhn thel ob]l ect pieces 'are pla'eed thereon;:thepitching fp-iece'fmay pass ther/el" through in fon-ef positionf, b'utxcan'not pass therethrough :in another position', without striking one -fofthe object pieces.'

sitioned- :thereon-'raft 'the' end-sf voff the .sup-port,

apitehingpiece -comprisingf.E aJnie'mber having;a"- dimension0V one Adirection considerahlyfgreaterfthanf-ftlre dimension in the -transverse -direotion3e whereby the pitching;V piece mayyjpassfbetween' the obj'ebt .pieees in i one position without striking'- them;y but" can-not -f ing a fiat disc, said object pieces being'position'ed-on\thesupport in such manner that the discmay pass between the object pieces "when ina substantially vertical position without-*strikingthem, but cannot pass between the objectv pieces when in substantially horizontal position without striking` them'. Y I

4. In'comloination?,A a= pairof object pieeesi therefor7 said obj'ectpieces .being independl ently :movable on fsaid supportA andffptching pieceseom'prising a circular ydise73 thefobject'pieces ybeing;I sol spaced thatthe. distance f betweenthe adjacent edges th'ei'eotisv lessthanthel diameter vof said dise..

In testimony? whereof; I. hereunto aiiii signature. l

mman im:`

ground engaging-members disposed beneath 40 the obj-eet lpiecesr and comprising Va support@ 

